Date: Saturday morning 20th January 2007
Weather: Fine but windy
Walkers: Celia, Roger and Harry
Parking: In the centre of the village, at the top of Eaton Hill
The Walk:
We left the village along Gorsebank Lane which heads north towards Curbar. There is good walking along a farm track and through Gorsebank farmyard with extensive views down to Chatsworth and up the valley towards Eyam. Across the valley is Bramley Dale with the initials E and R growing in 2 fields recessed into the woodland at the head of the dale. At the end of the farm track the path is above Cliff College and now heads down the hillside across the fields to a small pond before turnig left. The track now turns into an ancient paved pathway along the side of a stream.
The path then divides and we took the path to the right to meet up with Bar Road (Curbar) which runs up the village to Curbar Gap. We followed this road up past the riding school to the sharp left bend in the road. At this point the path goes straight on and tests the lungs with a steady climb up the field to meet a main path running north-south. At this point we turned south back towards Baslow. This part of the walk is across open moorland with boggy patches but it was sheltered from the worst of the wind by Baslow Edge. After around 600 to 700 metres the path divides and the path to the left goes up the Edge to the Wellington Monument. We kept straight on into the top of the fields where there is a seat with views overlooking Baslow and Chatsworth. This is a good fruit stop if one is needed on this shorter walk. From here the walk follows the top of the fields down to Bar Road (Baslow) and this unmade track then leads down into Baslow and back to the car.
Comments: This is a good shorter walk for bad weather which could be extended in several ways –
- Add a stretch at the start by beginning from the Robin Hood.
- Go up onto Baslow Edge instead of coming back beneath the Edge.
- Extend the middle of the walk by going down into Curbar and along the river, or carry on beneath Curbar Edge and back along the Edges.
- Return back to Baslow on the other side of the river as we did twice last year.
Although there were muddy areas on the fields after Gorsebank Farm and on the heathland beneath the Edge, this is one of the drier walks after periods of rain.
Hostelry; The Wheatsheaf, Baslow. Part of the same chain as the Grouse & Claret at Rowsley, but not as good and no pensioners discount! Pedigree Bitter.